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The share of Americans who skipped medical treatment last year because of costs rose substantially from the lows of 2020 and 2021, per a Federal Reserve Survey out Monday. The ability to afford health care often translates into better health. The survey also found that in families with income less than $25,000, 75% reported being in good health, compared with 91% for those with income of $100,000 or more. (Peck, 5/23)

Money is tight at many health systems facing narrowing margins, staffing shortages and broad economic headwinds, which might encourage executives to scale back on initiatives that aren't part of their core missions. When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion programs, however, some aren't backing away. (Hartnett, 5/23)

As federal policymakers step up oversight of hospital mergers, more states are taking steps to encourage consolidation in the industry — or to have the final say on whether such moves are anti-competitive. The policies are a sign of the power some hospital lobbies continue to wield in statehouses, where they've argued mergers are a way to expand the patient base and keep otherwise unprofitable facilities open. (Dreher, 5/24)

Mega-retailers are stepping in to improve the way healthcare is delivered, disrupting a status-quo industry that has been slow to change. Retailers ranging from drugstore chains to discount superstores are looking to take market share from traditional hospitals and health systems by stressing a more customer-centric focus. In many markets, the plan is working as consumers turn toward new care models. (Hudson, 5/23)

An email from a Johns Hopkins physician reached the Russian Embassy on March 1, 2022, five days after Russia invaded Ukraine, sparking a deadly war that has now spanned more than a year. “My husband and I are both doctors. I’m an anesthesiologist, he works in intensive care,” Dr. Anna Gabrielian wrote in Russian, her first language, and referring to her spouse, Dr. Jamie Lee Henry. “We are ready to help if there is a need for that. We are for life, and do not want to cut Russia off from the international community.” (Mann, 5/23)

�������ýҕ�l Health News: Listen To The Latest ‘�������ýҕ�l Health News Minute’ 

This week’s �������ýҕ�l Health News Minute looks at the rising number of patients pushed to take out credit cards to pay off medical debt and the lack of schools specializing in behavioral needs. (5/18)

Dr. Joseph Rubelowsky felt as if he had just robbed a bank. Still in his scrubs, he boarded the Falcon 900 jet, sat down and glanced over at the white cooling contraption that held the day’s loot. Strapped to the aircraft floor, it looked like a normal carry-on suitcase. But what the cooler carried was far from normal – and more precious than money or gold. It was a human heart. (Rodriguez, 5/23)

Michal Daniel, structural interventional cardiologist at Vital Heart and Vein, had to do a double take when he did the same surgery on identical twins at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood recently. The twins were diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and underwent surgery one week apart. RJ and LG Walker, both 81, underwent the life-saving surgery in March and their prognosis is fantastic, according to Daniel. (Taylor, 5/23)